§ 41. Mr. G. Macdonaldasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education the number of full-time dentists employed by the Lancashire County Education Committee; the number of children examined during the last 12 months for which figures are available; and the number found to require dental treatment?
Mr. LindsayNineteen dentists are employed by the Lancashire County Education Committee, the equivalent in whole-time service devoted to the school medical service being 18. The remainder of the time of these officers is devoted to other health services. The number of public elementary school children who underwent dental inspection during the year 1938 was 67,113, and the number found to require dental treatment was 46,782. A certain amount of inspection and treatment is undertaken at institutions for higher education, but no complete statistics are available.
§ Mr. MacdonaldDoes not the Minister consider that this large number needing dental treatment is clue to the under-nourishment of the children of Lancashire?
Mr. LindsayIf it is due to that fact, then the policy of the Board at present in making surveys in Lancashire and elsewhere is fully justified.